By the Arkansas Department of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The Rural Fire Protection program, managed by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division, received $279,562.45 as part of the 2021 Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant from the United States Forest Service to purchase and distribute 87 Wildfire Suppression Kits to rural volunteer fire departments.

The kits include equipment and gear necessary for the safe suppression of wildfires and have been delivered to the volunteer fire departments listed below.

Volunteer fire departments are the primary partner to Forestry crews in wildfire response and suppression but often need the specialized equipment and gear necessary for safe wildfire suppression. Since 2014, 579 volunteer fire departments have received Wildfire Suppression Kits through the Rural Fire Protection program. Kits distributed this year include lightweight wildfire-resistant coveralls and gloves, hand rakes, back-pack water pumps, and leaf blowers.

Volunteer fire departments interested in participating in the Wildfire Suppression Kit program submit applications that are scored according to specific criteria including fire district population, the size of the response area, wildfire response equipment needs, and other factors. The application period for next year’s Wildfire Protection Kit program is expected to start in August of 2022.

Fire Departments can expect to receive notification in the mail, or can find an application online at agriculture.arkansas.gov/forestry/ruralfire-protection-program/ when the application period opens. Fire Departments may contact Kathryn Mahan-Hooten at Kathryn.Mahan@agriculture.arkansas.gov or (501) 679-3183 with questions regarding the application.

South Arkansas fire departments receiving the Wildfire Suppression Kits through the 2021 grant are listed below by fire department and county:

Arden FD / Little River Co.

Buena Vista FD / Ouachita Co.

Cane Creek FD / Grant Co.

Center Grove FD / Grant Co.

Chidester FD / Ouachita Co.

DeQueen FD / Sevier Co.

Dermott FD / Chicot Co.

Eudora FD / Chicot Co.

Faircrest FD / Union Co.

Frenchport FD / Ouachita Co.

Hamburg FD / Ashley Co.

Kirby FD / Pike Co.

Locust Bayou FD / Calhoun Co.

Lonsdale FD / Garland Co.

Mt. Ida FD / Montgomery Co.

Nevada Co. Fire & Rescue/ Nevada Co.

Ogden FD / Little River Co.

Ouachita Co. Fire District #1/ Ouachita Co.

Prattsville FD / Grant Co.

Tull FD / Grant Co.

Walker Creek FD / Lafayette Co.

Washington FD /Hempstead Co.

Winthrop FD/ Little River Co.

Woodlawn FD / Cleveland Co